Page 93 - Principles of Leadership - Nehemiah

The next section deals with the temple tax. To put this in modern-day terms, this section deals with prioritizing
our money so that we do not neglect God’s house. It is interesting to see that marriage and money management
were issues that the people felt they must deal with 2500 years ago, and they are just as much of a problem in
today's culture. It seems that the writer of Ecclesiastes was right when he said there is nothing new under the
sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

32
We will impose [the following] commandments on ourselves: To give an eighth of an ounce of silver yearly
for the service of the house of our God. This temple tax was not a command found within the law. Instead, it
was a tax derived from some historical occurrences and implemented by current necessity. (See Exodus 30:11 –
33
16, 2 Kings 12:4 – 5) They also committed to give the bread displayed before the LORD, the daily grain
offering, the regular burnt offering, the Sabbath and New Moon offerings, the appointed festivals, the holy
things, the sin offerings to atone for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. We have cast lots
34
among the priests, Levites, and people for the donation of wood by our ancestral houses at the appointed
times each year. They are to bring [the wood] to our God’s house to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as
35
it is written in the law. [We will] bring the first fruits of our land and of every fruit tree to the LORD’s house
year by year. [We will also bring] the firstborn of our sons and our livestock, as prescribed by the law, and
36
will bring the firstborn of our herds and flocks to the house of our God, to the priests who serve in our God’s
house. We will bring [a loaf] from our first batch of dough to the priests at the storerooms of the house of
37
our God. We will also bring the first fruits of our [grain] offerings, of every fruit tree, and of the new wine and
oil. A tenth of our land’s [produce] from our lands belongs to the Levites, for the Levites are to collect the one-
38
tenth offering in all our agricultural towns. A priest of Aaronic descent must accompany the Levites when
they collect the tenth, and the Levites must take a tenth of this offering to the storerooms of the treasury in
the house of our God. For the Israelites and the Levites are to bring the contributions of grain, new wine,
39
and oil to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are kept and where the priests, gatekeepers,
and singers serve. And they concluded by pledging we will not neglect the house of our God.

One keyword in this section is the word we. (32, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39) The whole community was saying when it
comes to issues of finances, God will come first in our giving. “To offer the first was a vivid way of declaring
three important things. First, the Lord is the giver of all good things. Secondly, everything belongs to him and,
thirdly, he is worthy of the best they can offer.” 209 I have often said this; you can tell what a church and an
individual cherish by looking at what they spend their money on. The Israelites publicly declared that they
would not neglect God with this written declaration.

Let’s Practice…

1-2. List two biblical covenants made by God in the Old Testament:

3. Promise Keepers say, “A man who is not accountable to another man is an___________________ waiting to
happen!”

4. Who was the first signer of the OATH or Covenant before the Lord?

5. Why is this important?

91